Love of Others

Ruth 1:16-18 New International Version (NIV)

16 But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. 17 Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.”18 When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.

In today's times, it seems like life is going a mile a minute. Everybody is focused on getting to what they consider success. Everybody just wants to make it. But often times, getting to that place can be very lonely. We, as people, were not created to be alone. If that were the case, God would've never created Eve for Adam, Ruth wouldn't have been as close to Naomi, Elisha wouldn't have followed Elijah, and Paul wouldn't have been in the jail cell with Silas. I know along life's journey, you may have been stabbed in the back, you may have been dropped like a bad habit, but you cannot harden your heart to people. We are to love others, just as Christ loved us. 

If we were to be honest with ourselves, we would admit, life is a little easier when you have a brother or sister, best friend, or cousin to go to. I don't want y'all to ever to feel like I'm fussing at y'all or anything like I'm not guilty of the same thing. I have plenty of friends, but there is only 2 people that I go to, my best friends Jazz and Tresa. But honestly, when I'm going through things, I never say anything. When I was in the darkest place in my life, I barely said 2 words to ether of them. Not because I was upset with them, but I did not want to overwhelm anybody with my problems, but the Bible says:

Romans 12:15 New International Version (NIV)

15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.

For whatever reason, I always understand that to mean I can be there for someone else, but they can't be there for me. I know what it really means, but how I apply it to my life is wrong. My friends could call me at 3 in the morning crying about whatever and I would be right there, but I don't allow them to do the same for me. So when I was in that dark place I could've leaned on my friends. The same way Naomi leaned on Ruth

If you remember the story in Ruth 1, Naomi had lost her children and her husband. When this happened, she instructed her daughters-in-law, Ruth and Orpah, to return to their mothers' homes. Orpah left. Ruth, on the other hand, was like "No. I'm here for you." All of them were experiencing loss, but Orpah decided to be alone in her time of sorrow. The Bible never says what happened Orpah. It is questionable what her mental state was. She lost her husband and father-in-law and had to go back to her mama's hose, which she probably left when her and her husband got married. That just sounds like a recipe for depression. Anybody's spirits would be down with that much change. You would need somebody there. 

Sometimes we get so down that we don't want anybody around. We just want to be left alone. When we are alone, it's just us and our thoughts. If anybody has ever gone through anything, they know how bad those thoughts can be. Sometimes, we just need a Ruth in our corner willing to be there for us, and we have to allow them to be there for us. 

It really hit me about a week and a half ago, I went to Atlanta for the weekend. I met up Tresa and Jazz. Prior to that weekend I had not seen Tresa in almost 7 years. We had bother been through A LOT since the last time we saw each other, but that our friendship never wavered. It just so happened that this particular weekend I was under a lot of financial stress, and I lost it for minute while the 3 of us were out. I'm not one to cry in public or in front of anybody for that matter so I went to the bathroom to let it out and get myself together. Well....because they're my best friends, they knew I was crying. We had a long talk in the car and they let me know they are there for me and I'm not alone in any of this. 

You don't have to be alone in any of this either. I can guarantee there is someone that is in your corner that you may have overlooked or forgotten about. Allow them to love you, and you love them back. 

Lean on me, when you're not strong
And I'll be your friend
I'll help you carry on
For it won't be long
'Til I'm gonna need
Somebody to lean on

--Bill Withers